“When I first found out about the news, I did want to throw the towel in,” Tomlinson told SiriusXM in January of how his mother’s death affected him. “But it was [my] mum that said to me that I just gotta keep going. She told me very sternly that she wanted me to.”

“So I’m not doing it for her, but we’re doing it for each other,” continued the singer, who celebrated his son Freddie Reign’s first birthday in January. “It was tough, but I felt like it was nice for me to have a little send-off.”

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Tomlinson’s X-Factor performance earned him a rave review from Simon Cowell, who praised Tomlinson for his courage, talent and character.

“You know what. I have to say something to you,” Cowell said as the musician, who got his start on the show, stood onstage. “I’ve known you now for six years. What you’ve just done — and the bravery — I respect you as an artist, I respect you as a person, and your mum was so proud of you, Louis, and she was so looking forward to tonight.